Ukrainian politicians should settle the problems of the country’s Genichesk town, which is freezing every winter, rather than denying the evident fact of gas supplied there from Russia’s Crimea, a legislator and former deputy prime minister in Crimea, Mikhail Sheremet, said on Monday.

“Politicians of the neighboring country also now should address needs of their own citizens,” he wrote in a post on Facebook. “As yet, their activities are of little value for the people, who have to ask neighbors for assistance in elementary living conditions.”

Kiev’s authorities “instead of settling the problem, once again are trying to deny the evident by disclaiming the very problem,” the legislator wrote. “They announce Genichesk has gas and does not have problems. Correct, it has gas, and this is the gas which arrived from Crimea. And the people living in that area know this perfectly well. They know clearly who to thank for it.”

The situation in Genichesk “has been on the edge of a humanitarian disaster for more than first year now,” he continued. “The people living in that area, practically every winter risk remaining without heating or light.”

“Last year [2015], Crimea already helped out the neighbors on their request,” he said. “However, in the end, quite in line with the regretful Ukrainian tradition, that supplied gas is still unpaid.”

“Russia will help this year again, as this country realizes problems of people – our neighbors,” the legislator said.

On Saturday, Crimea’s head said Ukraine’s authorities are not going to settle the overdue payment of 18 million ($273,000) for the gas supplied from Crimea to the Ukrainian town of Genishesk.

The official confirmed once again Crimea had begun the supplies and as freezing temperatures come, the supplies will be bigger. Crimea, he continued, may supply during the autumn-winter period maximum 0.5 million cubic meters of gas to Ukraine’s Genichesk to satisfy fully the town’s demand.